Sweeney to have knee surgery, out for season; Kouz scratched

Ryan Sweeney has dealt with chronic knee pain for essentially his entire pro baseball career, but it has worsened with time, and while at Cleveland earlier this month, his right knee became more of problem. Sweeney zigged to try to avoid a tag, and his right knee tightened up even more afterward.

A cortisone shot for the right knee and platelet rich plasma injections for both done a week ago did not improve the problem, and after Sweeney was examined again today, the decision was made to place the outfielder on the DL and send him to renowned patella-tendon injury expert Dr. Richard Steadman, who is based in Vail, Colo., and who has treated many soccer stars, including Ronaldo, for patella problems.

Sweeney will have surgery on the right knee; he said he is unsure if there will be any procedure for the left knee. That will be determined by Dr. Steadman, who has yet to see the MRI for that knee, according to Sweeney. Sweeney’s surgery has not been scheduled yet, but it will be “as soon as possible,” Sweeney said. He said that recovery time is four to six months, so he should be completely ready for spring training.

Manager Bob Geren mentioned Gabe Gross (who is starting tonight) and Matt Watson as the primary candidates to play right, with Conor Jackson expected to return from a hamstring strain within the next couple of weeks. Geren also noted that Travis Buck is now on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento. Michael Taylor, who is on a hot streak, is not considered the top option right now; the team would prefer that Taylor continue to get seasoning at Sacramento and he’ll be brought up when he’s thought to be ready to handle big-league pitching on a nightly basis. That could be this season, but it’s not in the immediate future.

The A’s have used the DL 18 times this year and they’re steaming toward that club-record 25. Boston is at 16 for the season, so this is a series with a lot of player-games missed – 1,300 combined.

UPDATE: Perfect! Kevin Kouzmanoff has just been scratched with back stiffness, so Adam Rosales is at third. In the lineup just below, it’s a straight-up change, Rosales for Kouzmanoff. This is the all-medical series, indeed. Who will be next to head to the trainer’s room?

Dallas Braden is definitely set for tomorrow night; Brett Anderson’s rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento, at Colorado Springs, will be tomorrow night, rather than tonight, in order that he then slots into the rotation after Braden. That will come either Anderson’s next start or the following one.

Correction: I’m not sure what I was thinking, maybe all these injuries are scrambling my brain, but Anderson was scheduled to start tomorrow all along, and Braden is too. I wrote it in today’s paper, in fact. Nobody has moved. Sorry! Someone will have to be shifted one way or the other at some point, although the A’s have days off Thursday and Monday so Braden could be shuffled instead.

Also, perhaps I should mention in here somewhere that Henry Rodriguez was recalled from Sacramento when Sweeney went on the DL.